TINUBU HAILS RESCUE OF ABDUCTED ORIIRE PUPILS, TEACHERS AFTER 56 DAYS IN CAPTIVITY
By Olufemi Odeyemi
President Bola Tinubu has expressed profound joy over the successful rescue of pupils and teachers abducted from Oriire community in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, commending security agencies for ending their 56-day ordeal without any collateral damage.
The victims, made up of schoolchildren and their teachers, were freed on Friday following a coordinated military, police and intelligence-driven operation that led to the arrest of eight suspected abductors and the neutralisation of others involved in the kidnapping.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu praised the heroic efforts of the armed forces, the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force, who he said worked round the clock for close to two months to secure the release of the victims.
"I am profoundly happy that our security forces successfully rescued the abducted pupils and teachers from Oriire, Ogbomoso in Oyo State today after a military, police and intelligence-driven operation that neutralised some of the terrorists that perpetrated the evil act and the arrest of eight of them," the President said.
He described the rescue as bringing an end to a siege that had lasted over 50 days, relieving both the affected families and the nation at large.
"This successful military operation has ended the siege and standoff of over 50 days and has brought relief to the entire nation and the affected families in particular. On behalf of the country, I express my gratitude to the officers and men of our armed forces, the intelligence agencies and the police for the safe rescue of the children and their teachers," he said.
President Tinubu also spoke of justice for the family of Mr Oyedokun, a teacher who was killed by the abductors during the period of captivity.
"My government will get justice for these children and their teachers and for the family of Mr Oyedokun, who the terrorists gruesomely murdered," he stated.
The President commended the Oyo State Government for its cooperation with federal authorities throughout the rescue effort and directed the state to strengthen security around schools to prevent a recurrence of such attacks.
"I must commend the government of Oyo State for working cooperatively with us in bringing this unfortunate incident to a successful end," he said.
President Tinubu has further directed emergency response agencies to collaborate with the Oyo State Government in providing medical care and other relief support to the rescued children and teachers.
The pupils and teachers were abducted on May 15, 2026, when armed men attacked schools in the Ahoro-Esiele and Yawota areas of Oriire Local Government Area, killing a staff member during the raid. Their captivity, which stretched to 56 days, sparked national outrage after a video surfaced showing the murder of one of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun.